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OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 







(by 

ffmUt 

"T%><§ ILsur&y' 


Illlliyis&mfogdl (by 
MuU$ W^tisc? 



Copyright, 1916, by 
Daughaday and Company 

All rights reserved . 



SEP 1 4 1916 


©CI.A438369 

K 




TO MY MOTHER 


MY FIRST AND BEST STORY-TELLER 
WHO HAS BEEN MY GREATEST HELP 
AND INSPIRATION AS I HAVE TRIED 
TO RE-TELL TALES TO CHILDREN 





FOREWORD 


My Dear Children: 

TN this book the “ Story Lady” will tell you some 
-*• of the old English nursery tales which we 
all love and know so well. 

Many of these stories were told to me when I 
was a little girl by my dear Mother, who retold 
them to me as they were told to her in the long- 
ago time when she was a little girl in New England. 
“The Gingerbread Boy,” the story of “Chicken 
Little,” the story of “The Little Red Hen,” and 
the “Little Red Hen and the Fox,” are told 
to-day just as Mother used to tell them to me. 
“The Old Woman and the Pig,” I am sure you 
know for you have it in your Mother Goose book; 
and “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Three Bears” 
and “The Cat and the Mouse” are all re- told 
from “English Fairy Tales” by Joseph Jacobs. 

These tales of repetition have been told and 
re-told for many, many years and yet they are 
our favorite stories to-day. So I hope that you 
children will enjoy this book of old nursery tales 
as told by your “Story Lady.” 

With love from 

Georgene Faulkner. 



























. 












































. 
















PAGE 

The Gingerbread Boy 19 

The Three Little Pigs 31 

Chicken Little 41 

The Three Bears 53 

The Cat and the Mouse 63 

The Little Red Hen 69 

The Old Woman and the Pig 75 


The Little Red Hen and the Fox .... 85 












Frontispiece: 


FACING PAGE 


“I am a Gingerbread Boy, I am, I am; 

I CAN RUN FROM YOU, I CAN, I CAN” 

In fell the Old Wolf with a Splash . . 29 / 

‘Run, Foxy Loxy, for the Sky is falling!” 39 

‘Somebody has been lying in my Bed — and 
Here She is Right Now!” 51 X 

The Cat and the Mouse played in the Malt 
House 61 < 

‘ Cluck, cluck, cluck, who will plant this 
Wheat?” 67 

The Piggy sat down on the Ground and 

WOULD NOT CLIMB OVER THE STILE 73 ^ 

The Little Red Hen ran for Home ... 83 


The illustrations are from 
original paintings by 
Milo Winter 









THE GINGERBREAD BOY 


R ’ r ' 3r==_r5l NCE upon a time, there was a 
little old woman and a little old 

H man, and they lived in a little 
old house. 

Now, they did not have any little boys 
or any little girls, and they were very lonely 
indeed. 

One day, the little old woman said, “I 
will make me a gingerbread boy and put 
him up on the mantel-shelf by the clock, 
and then I shall feel as though I had a 
little boy in the house. So she mixed some 
gingerbread dough. She rolled it out, and she 


19 



OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
took a cooky-cutter and cut out a head. 
Then she took a larger cooky-cutter and cut 
out the body. Next she rolled two long 
pieces of dough and stuck them on for arms, 
and two more long pieces and stuck them 
on for legs. “Who ever heard of a ginger- 
bread boy without buttons on his coat!” 
she Said to herself, so she took some black 
currants and put some buttons all down the 
front of his coat. Then she made some 
sugary-frosting eyes, a sugary-frosting nose 
and a sugary-frosting mouth, and the ginger- 
bread boy was smiling, and when he was 
all ready she put him on a pan and popped 
him into the oven. 

It was warm in the oven, and the ginger- 
bread boy wanted to get out, but the little 
old woman took her broom and went sweep- 
ing all about the house. 


20 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 

It was very warm in the oven, and the 
gingerbread boy wanted to get out. 

Next the little old woman took her duster 
and went all about the house dusting, and 
she was so happy that she was singing as 
she worked. 

My, it was very warm in the oven, and the 
gingerbread boy wanted to get out! 

“Mercy me!” cried the little old woman 
sniffing the air; “is my gingerbread burn- 
ing?" She went to the oven and opened 
the oven door, and she was just about to 
take the gingerbread boy out and put him 
on a plate to cool, when he jumped right 
out of the pan and ran across the kitchen 
floor, calling out to the little old woman 
in a mocking tone: 

“ I am a gingerbread boy, I am, I am; 

I can run from you, I can, I can.” 


21 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

The little old woman dropped her broom 
and duster, and she picked up her skirts 
and ran after the gingerbread boy as fast 
as she could run. 

Out in the woodshed the little old man 
was chopping wood. Chop! chop! chop! 
went his axe, and the splinters were all 
flying. He looked up and saw the ginger- 
bread boy running through the yard, and 
the little old woman running after him. 

The gingerbread boy called out to the 
little old man: 

“I am a gingerbread boy, I am, I am; 

I can run from you, I can, I can. 

I ran away from a little old woman 
And I can run from you, I can, I can.” 

The little old man threw down his axe 
and he ran after the gingerbread boy as 
fast as he could run. 

22 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 

The gingerbread boy ran on and on. He 
came to a field where the men were all mow- 
ing with large scythes. They looked up and 
saw a gingerbread boy and a little old woman 
and a little old man all running across the 
field. 

The gingerbread boy called out to the 
mowers: 

“ I am a gingerbread boy, I am, I am; 

I can run from you, I can, I can. 

I ran away from a little old woman, 

A little old man, 

And I can run from you, I can, I can.” 

The mowers threw down their scythes, 
and they ran after the gingerbread boy as 
fast as they could run. 

The gingerbread boy ran on and on. He 
came to a large red barn where the men 
were all threshing. They looked up and 
23 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
saw a gingerbread boy and a little old woman 
and a little old man and a field full of mowers 
all running past the barn. 

The gingerbread boy called out to the 
threshers: 

“ I am a gingerbread boy, I am, I am ; 

I can run from you, I can, I can. 

I ran away from a little old woman, 

A little old man, 

A field full of mowers, 

And I can run from you, I can, I can.” 

The threshers threw down their work, and 
they ran after the gingerbread boy as fast 
as they could run. 

The gingerbread boy ran on and on, out 
across the pasture, and there he met an old 
red cow. 

The gingerbread boy called out to the 
cow: 


24 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 
“ I am a gingerbread* boy, I am, I am; 

I can run from you, I can, I can. 

I ran away from a little old woman, 

A little old man, 

A field full of mowers, 

A barn full of threshers, 

And I can run from you, I can, I can.” 

The old cow lowered her horns and bel- 
lowed out: “Moo! moo! moo!” as much as 
to say, “No! no! no!” and she ran after the 
gingerbread boy as fast as she could run. 

The gingerbread boy ran on and on, and 
by and by he met a big, fat pig. 

He called out to the pig 

“I am a gingerbread boy, I am, I am; 

I can run from you, I can, I can. 

I ran away from a little old woman, 

A little old man, 

A field full of mowers, 

A barn full of threshers, 

An old red cow, 

And I can run from you, I can, I can.” 

25 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

The pig grunted “Ugh, ugh, ugh,” as 
much as to say, “No, no, no,” and the pig 
ran after the gingerbread boy as fast as 
he could run. 

The gingerbread boy ran far away into 
the forest. It was very dark in the forest, 
for the great branches of the trees met over- 
head and shut out the sunlight. 

Under one tree there lay an old fox, and 
he had one eye shut and was pretending 
to be asleep. The gingerbread boy ran close 
to the fox, and he called out boldly: 

“ I am a gingerbread boy, I am, I am; 

I can run from you, I can, I can. 

I ran away from a little old woman, 

A little old man, 

A field full of mowers, 

A barn full of threshers, 

An old red cow, 

A big fat pig, 

And I can run from you, I can, I can.” 

26 


THE GINGERBREAD BOY 

Then the old fox opened his eyes; but he 
opened his mouth, too, and he bit the ginger- 
bread boy in the leg. The gingerbread boy 
couldn’t run any more. 

My, but the fox liked the taste of the 
gingerbread boy ! He licked his chops and he 
smacked his lips and winked his eyes. ‘ ‘ Y um ! 
yum! yum-m-m! but that gingerbread boy 
tasted good.” So the fox ate one leg, and 
the gingerbread boy said mournfully, “One 
leg is all gone.” Then the fox ate the other 
leg. “Both my legs are all gone,” said the 
gingerbread boy. 

“Yum! yum! yum-m-m!” the fox liked 
the taste of the gingerbread boy, and then 
the fox began to eat the gingerbread boy’s 
body, and the gingerbread boy said in a 
weaker voice: “I am half gone.” 

Next the fox ate one of the gingerbread 
27 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
boy’s arms. “One arm is all gone,” said 
the gingerbread boy. And then the fox ate 
the other arm. “Both my arms are all 
gone,” sighed the poor gingerbread boy. 

My, but the fox liked the taste of the 
gingerbread boy! He licked his chops and 
he smacked his lips and winked his eyes. 
“Yum! yum! yum-m-m!” but the ginger- 
bread boy was good. 

And last of all, the fox gobbled the gin- 
gerbread boy’s head, then a little voice came 
from away down inside of the fox, and gasped 

out: “I’m all gone,” and that was 

the end of the gingerbread boy. 


28 





% 






























• 3 I 















r*m 







THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 


Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme 

And, monkeys chewed tobacco 

And hens took snuff to make them tough, 

And ducks went quack, quack, quack, 0! 

H HERE was an old mother-pig 
who had three little pigs, and 
she had not enough to keep them, 
so she sent them out into the 
world to seek their fortune. 

The first little pig met a man with a 
bundle of straw, and he said, “Please, man, 
give me some straw to build me a house.” 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
The man gave the little pig some straw and 
the little pig built his house with it. 

Presently along came a lean, hungry wolf 
and knocked at the door and said, “Little 
pig, little pig, let me come in?” but the little 
pig answered, “No, no, by the hair of my 
chinny chin, chin, I’ll not let you in.” 

The wolf growled, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll 
puff and I’ll blow your house in.” So he 
huffed and he puffed and he blew the house 
in and ate up the poor little pig. 

The second little pig met a man with a 
bundle of sticks, and said, “Please, man, 
give me some sticks to build me a house.” 
The man gave the little pig some sticks, 
and the little pig built his house. 

Presently the old wolf came along and 
knocked at the door, and said, “Little pig, 
little pig, let me come in?” 


32 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 

“No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin, 
chin, I’ll not let you in,” answered the second 
little pig. 

“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow 
your house in,” growled the wolf. So he 
huffed and he puffed and he blew the house 
in and ate up the poor little pig. 

Now, the third little pig met a man with 
a load of bricks, and he said, “Please, man, 
give me some of those bricks to build a 
house.” So the man gave the pig some 
bricks and he built his house with them. 

By and by the wolf came along and 
knocked at the door, and said, “Little pig, 
little pig, let me come in?” 

“No, no, by the hair of my chinny, chin, 
chin, I’ll not let you in.” 

“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow 
your house in.” Well, he huffed and he 


33 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
puffed, and he puffed and he huffed, but he 
could not blow down the house, so he said, 
“Little pig, there is a fine crop of turnips 
in Mister Smith’s field; if you would like 
some, I will call for you to-morrow morning.” 

“Very well,” said the pig, “I will be ready 
at six o’clock.” But the little pig got up 
at five o’clock and went to the field, gathered 
the turnips, and ran home. 

At six o’clock the old wolf came along 
and knocked at the door, and said, “Little 
pig, are you all ready?” 

“Ready!” answered the pig, “I went at 
five o’clock and got the turnips and now I 
have a nice potfull cooking for my dinner.” 

The wolf was very angry at this and he 
made up his mind to get that little pig 
some way or other; so he spoke in a soft, 
sweet voice, “Little pig, I know where there 
is a nice apple tree.” 


34 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 

“Where?” grunted the greedy little pig. 

“Down at Merry-Garden,” answered the 
wolf. “Will you go with me at five o’clock 
to-morrow morning?” 

“I will go gladly,” replied the little pig. 

Well, the little pig got up at four o’clock 
the next morning and rushed off to the 
garden for the apples, but he had much 
further to go this time and he had to climb 
a tree, so just as he was coming down from 
it with his sack of apples whom should he 
see but the old wolf, and he was very much 
frightened. 

The wolf was very angry when he saw the 
little pig, but he said in a soft, sweet voice: 
“Little pig, what! are you here before me? 
How you surprise me! Are the apples good?” 

“Yes, very good,” answered the little pig, 
“I will throw you one,” and the pig threw 
the apple so far that while the wolf went to 
35 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
pick it up, the pig scrambled down from the 
tree and ran home. 

The next day the wolf came again and 
said very sweetly, “Little pig, there is a fair 
at Shanklin-Town this afternoon. Will you 
go?” 

“Oh, yes,” answered the pig, “I will go 
gladly. What time shall you be ready?” 

“At three o’clock,” said the wolf. 

So the little pig started away before the 
time, as usual, and at two o’clock he went 
to the fair. There he bought a new butter- 
churn and he was just going home when 
whom should he see coming up the hill 
but the old wolf. The little pig was so 
frightened he did not know what to do. 
Then suddenly he thought of a plan. He 
jumped into his churn to hide and by so 
doing turned it around and it rolled over 
36 


THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 
and over down the hill with the little pig 
curled up safe inside. 

When the wolf saw the churn rolling over 
and over down the hill, he was very much 
frightened too and he ran for home without 
even going to the fair. 

The next day the wolf went to call on the 
little pig again, and he said, “Little pig, 
when I went to the fair I met a great, round 
thing that came rolling and rolling and roll- 
ing down the hill, and it frightened me so 
that I ran for home.” 

“Ha! ha! ha!” laughed the little pig, “so 
I frightened you, did I? Well, I went to 
the fair at two o’clock and there I bought a 
big butter-churn and on the way home I saw 
you coming up the road, so I climbed into 
my churn and rolled down the hill.” 

Then the wolf was very angry indeed and 
37 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
he said, “I will not let you play any more 
tricks on me; I will come down your chimney 
and eat you up.” 

Now, when the little pig heard that, he 
hung a huge potfull of water over the blazing 
fire, and just as soon as he heard the wolf 
coming down the chimney he took the cover 
off the pot and in fell the old wolf with a 
splash! So the little pig put the cover on 
the pot again and boiled the old wolf and 
ate him for his supper. And the little pig 
lived happily ever after. 


38 

















• I 










♦ 







CHICKEN LITTLE 


NCE upon a time, there was a 
little chicken. He was such a 
teeny, tiny little chicken that 
everybody in the barnyard called 
him Chicken Little. 

One day, when Chicken Little walked 
under a big oak tree an acorn fell on his 
head, rolled down his back, and dropped 
off his little tail. He was so frightened 
that he ran to Henny Penny and cried: 
“Peep, peep, peep, run, run, run, Henny 
Penny, the sky is falling!” 

“Cluck, cluck, cluck, how do you know 


4i 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
that, Chicken Little?” clucked Henny 
Penny. 

“Oh,” chirped Chicken Little, “I saw it 
with my eyes and I heard it with my ears, 
and part of it fell on my tail. Peep, peep, 
peep, run, run, run and tell the King.” 

“Cluck, cluck, cluck,” cackled Henny 
Penny, “yes, we will run, run, run and tell 
the King.” So Chicken Little and Henny 
Penny ran across the garden until they met 
Cocky Locky. He strutted up to them and 
crowed at them boastfully. 

“Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle doo, 
what’s the trouble with you?” 

“Cluck, cluck, cluck, peep, peep, peep, 
run, run, run, Cocky Locky, the sky is 
falling.” 

“Cock-a-doodle-doo, who told you, Henny 
Penny?” 


42 


CHICKEN LITTLE 

“Chicken Little told me.” 

“Cock-a-doodle-doo, who told you, 
Chicken Little?” 

“Oh, I saw it with my eyes and I heard 
it with my ears, and part of it fell on my tail. 
Peep, peep, peep, run, run, run, Cocky Locky, 
and tell the King.” 

“Yes, we will run, run, run and tell the 
King,” answered Cocky Locky. 

Then Chicken Little and Henny Penny 
and Cocky Locky all ran and ran and ran 
until, down by the duck pond, they met 
Ducky Lucky. 

“Quack, quack, quack, where are you three 
running so fast?” asked Ducky Lucky. 

“Cock-a-doodle-doo, cluck, cluck, cluck, 
peep, peep, peep,” they all began to talk 
at once. “Run, run, run, Ducky Lucky, 
for the sky is falling.” 

43 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

“Quack, quack, quack, who told you that, 
Cocky Locky?” 

“Henny Penny told me.” 

“Quack, quack, quack, who told you that, 
Henny Penny?” 

“Chicken Little told me.” 

“Quack, quack, quack, who told you that, 
Chicken Little?” 

“Oh, I saw it with my eyes, heard 
it with my ears, and part of it fell on 
my tail. Peep, peep, peep, run, run, run 
and tell the King.” 

“Yes, we will run, run, run and tell the 
King,” agreed Ducky Lucky. 

Then Ducky Lucky and Cocky Locky and 
Henny Penny and Chicken Little ran and 
ran and ran until they met Goosey Poosey. 

“Hiss, hiss, hiss-s-s-s,” hissed Goosey 
Poosey. “Why are you four running so fast?” 


44 


CHICKEN LITTLE 

“Quack, quack, quack, cock-a-doodle-doo, 
cluck, cluck, cluck, peep, peep, peep,” they 
all began to talk at once. “Run, run, run, 
Goosey Poosey, for the sky is falling.” 

“Who told you the news, Ducky Lucky?” 
squawked Goosey Poosey. 

“Cocky Locky told me.” 

“Who told you, Cocky Locky?” 

“Henny Penny told me.” 

“Who told you, Henny Penny?” 

“Chicken Little told me.” 

“Who told you, Chicken Little?” 

“Oh, I saw it with my eyes, I heard it 
with my ears, and part of it fell on my tail. 
Peep, peep, peep, run, run, run and tell the 
King.” 

So Chicken Little and Henny Penny and 
Cocky Locky and Ducky Lucky and Goosey 
Poosey ran and ran and ran until they met 


45 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
Turkey Lurkey strutting through the barn- 
yard. 

“Gooble, gobble, gobble,” called Turkey 
Lurkey, and he puffed himself up like a 
ship under full sail, and came toward them 
looking most important. 

“Hiss, hiss, hiss-s-s-s, quack, quack, quack, 
cock-a-doodle-doo, cluck, cluck, cluck, peep, 
peep, peep,” they all began to talk at once. 
“Run, run, run, Turkey Lurkey, for the sky 
is falling.” 

“Who told you, Goosey Poosey?” said 
Turkey Lurkey. 

“Ducky Lucky told me.” 

“Who told you, Ducky Lucky?” 

“Cocky Locky told me.” 

“Who told you, Cocky Locky?” 

“Henny Penny told me.” 

“Who told you, Henny Penny?” 

46 


CHICKEN LITTLE 

“Chicken Little told me.” 

“Who told you, Chicken Little?” 

“Oh, I saw it with my eyes, I heard it 
with my ears, and part of it fell on my tail. 
Peep, peep, peep, run, run, run and tell 
the King.” 

“Yes, we will run, run, run and tell the 
King,” answered Turkey Lurkey. 

Then Turkey Lurkey and Goosey Poosey 
and Ducky Lucky and Cocky Locky and 
Henny Penny and Chicken Little ran and 
ran and ran. They ran away from the barn- 
yard and across the meadow, and far into 
the forest. 

In the forest they met Foxy Loxy and he 
began to smile when he saw them. “Where 
are you all going and why do you look so 
frightened?” he asked. “Maybe I can help 
you, if you will tell me your trouble.” And 


47 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
all the time he was talking, he was licking 
his chops and thinking what luck it was for 
him ttiat they had come in his way. 

“Gobble, gobble, gobble, hiss, hiss, hiss-s-s, 
quack, quack, quack, cock-a-doodle-doo, 
cluck, cluck, cluck, peep, peep, peep.” they 
all began to talk at once. “Run, run, run, 
Foxy Loxy, for the sky is falling.” 

“Who told you that, Turkey Lurkey?” 
asked Foxy Loxy. 

“Goosey Poosey told me.” 

“Who told you, Goosey Poosey?” 

“Ducky Lucky told me.” 

“Who told you, Ducky Lucky?” 

“Cocky Locky told me.” 

“Who told you, Cocky Locky?” 

“Henny Penny told me.” 

“Who told you, Henny Penny?” 

“Chicken Little told me.” 


48 


CHICKEN LITTLE 

“Who told you, Chicken Little?” 

“Oh, I saw it with my eyes, and heard it 
with my ears, and part of it fell on my tail. 
Peep, peep, peeo, run, run, run, Foxy Loxy, 
and tell the King.” 

“Yes, yes, said Foxy Loxy, “we must 
run very fast and tell the King this important 
news at once, and as I know the shortest 
way to the palace, you must all follow me 
through the forest and I will lead you to 
him.” 

Then Foxy Loxy led Turkey Lurkey and 
Goosey Poosey and Ducky Lucky and Cocky 
Locky and Henny Penny and Chicken Little 
all into his den, and Foxy Loxy was the only 
one ever to come out again. 


49 

















.1 


THE THREE BEARS 


** ,51 NCE upon a time there were three 
bears who lived in a nice little 

H house in the forest. There was 
a great, big Father-bear who 
always spoke in a deep, gruff voice. There 
was a medium-sized Mother-bear who spoke 
in a medium-sized voice, and a little, wee 
Baby-bear who always spoke in a shrill, 
squeaky voice. 

Each one had a bowl for his porridge; 
a great, big bowl for the Father-bear, a 
medium-sized bowl for the Mother-bear and 
a wee, little bowl for the Baby-bear. 


S3 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
And each had a chair to sit in; a great, 
big chair for the Father-bear, a medium- 
sized chair for the Mother-bear and a little, 
wee chair for the Baby-bear. 

And they each had a bed to sleep in; a 
great, big bed for the Father-bear, a medium- 
sized bed for the Mother-bear and a little, 
wee bed for the Baby-bear. 

One day, after they had made their por- 
ridge for their breakfast, and poured it out 
into their bowls, they found it was too hot 
to eat, so the Father-bear said, “Let us take 
a walk in the forest while we are waiting for 
our porridge to cool.” 

Now, there was a little girl named Goldi- 
locks, (so named because her hair was as 
golden as the sunbeams) who wandered far 
away into the forest to pick wild flowers, 
and while the bears were out walking she 
54 


THE THREE BEARS 

came to their little house. Goldilocks had 
never seen this little house before, and she 
was so pleased with it that she ran up the 
steps and knocked loudly at the door. 
“Knock! knock! knock!” but when no one 
answered her she walked right into the house. 

When she saw the bowls of porridge on 
the table, she said, “I am so very hungry, 
I think I shall eat a little of that porridge.” 
So she tasted the porridge in the Father- 
bear’s bowl. “Oh, this is much too hot!” 
she said. Next she tasted the porridge in 
the Mother-bear’s bowl. “Oh, this is much 
too cold!” she said, and then she tasted the 
porridge in the Baby-bear’s bowl. “Oh, this 
is just right!” she said, and she ate it all 
up, every bit. 

“I think I shall sit down and rest,” said 
Goldilocks. So she tried the big chair 
55 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
belonging to the Father-bear. “Oh, this is 
much too hard!” she said. Next she tried 
the chair belonging to the Mother-bear. “Oh, 
this is much too soft!” she said, and then 
she tried the chair belonging to the Baby- 
bear, and she sat down so hard that — crash ! 
she broke the chair all to pieces. 

“I think I shall go upstairs and look 
about a little,” said Goldilocks. So she 
went upstairs and there she saw the three 
beds belonging to the three bears. “I’m 
so tired I think I shall take a rest,” said 
Goldilocks, and she climbed into the Father- 
bear’s big bed. “Oh, this is much too hard !” 
she said. Next she tried the Mother-bear’s 
bed. “Oh, this is much too soft!” she said, 
and then she tried the Baby-bear’s bed. 
“Oh, this is just right!” she said with a big 
yawn; I am so very com-fort-a-ble, I think 
56 


THE THREE BEARS 

I shall take a little nap,” and Goldilocks 
shut her eyes and was soon fast asleep. 

By and by the bears came home from their 
walk, and when they saw the door open, 
they were very much surprised. "Somebody 
has come into our house,” growled the Fath- 
er-bear, and they all hurried inside. 

They went right up to the table and they 
knew at once that some meddlesome person 
had been in their house. 

"Somebody has been eating my porridge!” 
growled the big Father-bear in his deep, 
gruff voice. 

"Somebody has been eating my porridge!” 
snarled the Mother-bear in her medium- 
sized voice. 

“Somebody has been eating my porridge 
and has eaten it all up!” cried the little, 
wee Baby-bear in his little, wee voice. 


57 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

Then the bears began to look about to 
see who had been in their house. “Some- 
body has been sitting in my chair!’' growled 
the big, Father-bear in his deep gruff voice. 

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair!” 
snarled the Mother-bear in her medium- 
sized voice. 

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair 
and has broken it all to pieces!” cried the 
little, wee Baby-bear in his little, wee voice. 

“Let us go upstairs and see!” growled the 
big Father-bear, so they all went upstairs 
to their bedroom. 

“Somebody has been lying on my bed!” 
growled the big Father-bear in his deep, 
gruff voice. 

“Somebody has been lying on my bed!” 
snarled the Mother-bear in a medium-sized 


voice. 


THE THREE BEARS 
“Somebody has been lying on my bed — 
and here she is right now!” shrieked the little, 
wee, Baby-bear in a high, shrill voice. 

Now, when the big Father-bear spoke in 
his deep, gruff voice it had sounded like 
thunder to Goldilocks, and when the Mother- 
bear spoke it seemed like the wind that 
blew through the forest, so it all went right 
into her dreams. But when the little, wee 
Baby-bear shrieked in his high, shrill voice 
he woke her up at once and when she opened 
her eyes and saw three bears standing near 
her, she was so frightened that she sprang 
out of bed, ran to a window and jumped 
out and ran for home as fast as she could go. 

And, do you know that although Goldi- 
locks went many times to the forest for 
flowers, she never again saw the home of 
the three bears 


59 




4 
















9 









THE CAT AND THE MOUSE 


The cat and the mouse 
Play'd in the malt-house. 

H ' 11 ""HE cat bit the mouse’s tail off. 

“Ee-ee!” squeaked the mouse. 
“Pray, puss, give me my tail.’’ 
“Miaow! No!” said the cat. 
“I am hungry and I’ll not give you your 
tail unless you will go to the cow and fetch 
me some milk.” 

First she leapt, and then she ran, 

Till she came to the cow and thus began: 

63 



OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

“Pray, cow, give me milk, that I may 
give the cat milk, that cat may give me my 
own tail again.” 

“Moo! No!” said the cow. “I will give 
you no milk, till you go to the farmer and 
get me some hay.” 

First she leapt, and then she ran, 

Till she came to the farmer, and thus began: 

“Pray, farmer, give me hay, that I may 
give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, 
that I may give cat milk, that cat may give 
me my own tail again.” 

“No!” said the farmer. “I will give you 
no hay, till you go to the butcher and fetch 
me some meat.” 

First she leapt, and then she ran, 

Till she came to the butcher, and thus began: 

“Pray, butcher, give me meat, that I may 
give farmer meat, that farmer may give me 
64 


THE CAT AND THE MOUSE 


hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may 
give me milk, that I may give cat milk, 
that cat may give me my own tail again.” 

“No!” said the butcher. “I will give you 
no meat, till you go to the baker and fetch 
me some bread.” 

First she leapt, and then she ran, 

Till she came to the baker, and thus began: 

“Pray, baker, give me bread, that I may 
give butcher bread, that butcher may give 
me meat, that I may give farmer meat, 
that farmer may give me hay, that I may give 
cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that 
I may give cat milk, that cat may give me 
my own tail again.” 

“Yes,” said the baker, “I’ll give you some bread, 
But if you eat my meal, I’ll cut off your head.” 

Then the baker gave the mouse some 
bread, and the mouse gave the butcher the 

65 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
bread, and the butcher gave the mouse some 
meat, and the mouse gave the farmer the 
meat, and the farmer gave the mouse some 
hay, and the mouse gave the cow the hay, 
and the cow gave the mouse some milk, 
and the mouse gave the cat the milk, and the 
cat gave back to the mouse her own tail 
again! 


66 


' 



















■ 























THE LITTLE RED HEN 


NCE upon a time, there was a 
little red hen who lived in the 
barnyard. One day, when she 
was out walking, she found a 
grain of wheat. “Cluck! cluck! cluck!” she 
called loudly. “Who will plant this wheat? 
Will you do it, cat?” 

“Miaow! miaow!” answered the cat, “No! 
no! I won’t!” 

“Will you plant this wheat, rat?” 
“Ee-ee-ee!” squeaked the rat, “No! no! 
I won’t!” 

“Will you do it, pig?” 



OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

“Ugh! ugh! ugh!” grunted the pig, “No! 
no! no! I won’t!” 

“Then I will,” answered the little red hen, 
and she did. 

When the wheat was ripe, the little red 
hen said, “Who will cut this wheat?” 

“Miaow! I won’t!” said the cat. 

“Ee-ee! I won’t!” said the rat. 

“Ugh! I won’t!” said the pig. 

“Then I will,” said the little red hen, and 
she did. 

When the wheat was cut, the little red 
hen said, “Who will take this wheat to the 
mill?” 

“Miaow! I won’t!” said the cat. 

“Ee-ee! I won’t!” said the rat. 

“Ugh! I won’t!” said the pig. 

“Then I will,” said the little red hen, 
and she did. 


70 


THE LITTLE RED HEN 

When the wheat was ground into flour, 
the little red hen said, “Who will make 
this flour into bread?” 

“Miaow! I won’t!” said the cat. 

“Ee-ee! I won’t!” said the rat. 

“Ugh! I won’t!” said the pig. 

“Then I will,” said the little red hen, 
and she did. 

When the bread was baked, the little 
red hen said, “Who will eat this bread?” 

“Purr-purr! I will!” purred the cat. 

“Ee-ee-ee!I will!” squeaked the rat. 

“Ugh! ugh! I will!” grunted the pig. 

“Cluck! cluck! cluck! No you won’t!” 
cackled the little red hen, “for I will do that 
myself,” and she did. 


7i 













THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG 

NCE upon a time there lived all 
alone in a little old house, a 
little old woman. 

One day when this little old 
woman was sweeping, she found a sixpence 
under the rug. “Oh, what good luck!” she 
said. “Now I will go to market and buy 
a pig.” So she went to market and bought 
a nice, little, fat, white pig and she led him 
toward home. 

On the way home they came to a stile, 
which is used like steps to climb over a wall 
or fence. Now, when they came to this 



75 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
stile, piggy sat right down on the ground 
and grunted “Ugh! ugh! ugh!” which meant 
“No! no! no!” and he would not climb over 
those steps. 

Well, the poor old woman did not know 
which way to turn, for it was getting very 
late. Presently she met a dog, and she said: 

“Dog, dog, bite pig; 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won't get home to-night.” 

“Bow-wow-wow!” barked the dog, which 
meant “No! no! no!” and the little old woman 
did not know what to do. 

Then she saw a stick, and she said: 

“Stick, stick, beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won't get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the stick would not. 


76 


THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG 


Next she saw a fire, and she called out 
to the fire: 

“Fire, fire, burn stick, 

Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the fire would not. 

Then she met the water, and she said to 
the water: 

“Water, water, quench fire, 

Fire won’t burn stick, 

Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the water would not. 

Next she met an ox, and she said: 

“Ox, ox, drink water, 

Water won’t quench fire, 

Fire won’t burn stick, 


77 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the ox would not. 

Presently she met a butcher, and she said 
to the butcher: 

“ Butcher, butcher, slay ox, 

Ox won’t drink water, 

Water won’t quench fire, 

Fire won’t burn stick, 

Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the butcher would not. 

Next she met a rope, and she said: 

“ Rope, rope, hang butcher, 

Butcher won’t slay ox, 

Ox won’t drink water, 

Water won’t quench fire, 

Fire won’t burn stick, 

78 


THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG 
Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the rope would not. 

Then she met a rat, and she said: 

“ Rat, rat, gnaw rope, 

Rope won’t hang butcher, 

Butcher won’t slay ox, 

Ox won’t drink water, 

Water won’t quench fire, 

Fire won’t burn stick, 

Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

But the rat would not. 

At last she met a cat, and she said: 

“Cat, cat, catch rat, 

Rat won’t gnaw rope, 

Rope won’t hang butcher, 

Butcher won’t slay ox, 

79 


£ 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
Ox won’t drink water, 

Water won’t quench fire, 

Fire won’t burn stick, 

Stick won’t beat dog, 

Dog won’t bite pig, 

Pig won’t get over the stile, 

And I won’t get home to-night.” 

“Miaow! miaow!’’ answered the cat, 
“that I will if you will bring me a saucer 
of milk.” 

So the little old woman went to the cow 
and asked the cow for a saucer of milk. 
“Moo! moo!” answered the cow, “that I 
will if you will give me some hay.” 

So the little old woman went to the hay- 
makers and told them the whole story, and 
they gave her an armful of hay. 

Then she brought the hay to the cow, and 
the cow gave her the saucer of milk, the 
milk she gave to the cat, and then — 


80 


THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG 
The cat began to catch the rat, 

The rat began to gnaw the rope, 

The rope began to hang the butcher, 

The butcher began to slay the ox, 

The ox began to drink the water, 

The water began to quench the fire, 

The fire began to burn the stick, 

The stick began to beat the dog, 

The dog began to bite the pig, 

The pig climbed over the stile, 

And the little old woman reached home all right! 


81 





































* 















































* 































■ ' 










































THE LITTLE RED HEN AND THE FOX 


-’^NCE upon a time there was a 
little red hen who lived in a house 

H all by herself. Not far away 

there lived in a den in the rocks 
a wicked old fox. Now, he was hungry 
for that little red hen and every few days 
he would come prowling about her house 
and try to catch her; but she was much too 
smart for him. Whenever she went out of 
her house she would shut and lock the door, 
and when she returned to her home again 
she always closed the door and locked it, 
85 



OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
for she was much afraid of that crafty old 
fox. 

The fox would plan and plan how he would 
surprise her, but every time his plans would 
fail until at last he thought of a new way 
to catch her. So, early in the morning, 
he said to his mother: “To-day I shall bring 
home the little red hen for your dinner, so 
have the big kettle filled with boiling water.” 

Then the fox threw a big sack over his 
shoulder and went strutting away until he 
came near the home of the little red hen. 
The little red hen came out of the door and 
went to the wood-pile to pick up some sticks 
for her fire, and this time she left her house- 
door open as she was only out in her own 
yard. 

The sly old fox drew stealthily near her 
and hid behind the woodpile and while she 
86 


THE LITTLE RED HEN AND THE FOX 
was bending over busily picking up her 
sticks, he sneaked around and slipped into 
the house and hid behind the door. When 
the little red hen had filled her apron with 
sticks she came in and shut and locked the 
door. “Well, I am glad that I am safe,” 
she said. But just then she heard a sharp 
bark behind her, and there stood the ugly 
old fox grinning at her and grinding his 
teeth.- Oh my! but that little red hen was 
frightened. She dropped her sticks upon 
the floor and she flew up to the beam over- 
head, and there she sat and shivered and 
shook — she was so scared. The sly old fox 
smirked up at her with a sneering smile 
on his face, and he said mockingly: 

“So, you are glad that you are safe! well, 
you are not very safe up there. Now watch 
me, little red hen!” 


87 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 

Then that old fox ran round and round 
after his tail and every little while he would 
bark out: “Watch me! Watch me little 
red hen!” 

And the poor little red hen watched and 
watched that wicked old fox spinning about 
on the floor until she grew so dizzy that she 
could hardly sit on the beam. Faster and 
faster ran the fox; she could not tell his head 
from his tail, and she could scarcely see 
his legs — he ran so fast. Her eyes ached 
from such close watching and she grew more 
and more dizzy until at last she fell down 
ker-plunk! upon the floor. 

“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the old fox. “This 
is the time that I fooled you, and he grabbed 
the poor little red hen and pushed her down, 
down into his big dark sack. Then he un- 
locked the door and ran off for his den as 
88 


THE LITTLE RED HEN AND THE FOX 
fast as he could go. He ran and ran but 
by and by he grew tired, and so he lay down 
by the roadside to rest, and he was soon 
fast asleep. 

Now, while the fox was running the little 
red hen was so dizzy that she hardly knew 
where she was going; but when she found 
herself on the ground she began to collect 
her wits. 

‘ Why should I stay here in the sack?” 
she said to herself, “and be carried home and 
cooked and eaten by this greedy old fox?” 

Then she listened and when she heard the 
old fox snoring she took out of her pocket 
her little pair of scissors and she snipped and 
snipped the sack until she had cut a hole 
large enough for her to slip through. 

She found a big stone and pushed it into 
the sack, and with her needle and thread 
89 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
she soon sewed up that hole again. And 
then she ran for her home and when she 
had reached it she rushed into the house 
and shut and bolted the door. 

“Well, this time I am surely safe,” gasped 
the poor tired little red hen. 

Now, all this time the old fox lay on the 
ground snoring and he was dreaming of 
that tender little red hen that he would 
eat for his dinner, but by and by he awoke 
with a start. 

“I must hurry home so that mother can 
cook this little red hen for our dinner, ’ ’ he said. 

So he picked up the sack and started for 
his den. Thump! thump! thump! went the 
big stone in the sack and at every step it 
hit the old fox on the back as he ran along. 

“My! but that little red hen is heavy!” 
groaned the fox. “I did not know that 


90 


THE LITTLE RED HEN AND THE FOX 
she was so big and fat, but she will surely 
taste good,” and the fox smiled and smacked 
his lips as he thought of the good dinner 
he was so soon to enjoy. His mother was 
watching for him in the doorway, and she 
called out: 

“Have you brought home the little red 
hen, my son?” 

“Yes, indeed, mother,” he answered, “and 
she is so heavy that I can scarcely carry 
her. Yum-m-m, yum-m-m-m, yum-m-m! 
but we will have a delicious meal ! Have you 
the kettle ready?” 

“Yes,” answered his mother, “all is ready 
and waiting.” 

“Well, when I open the sack, you lift 
the lid from the kettle and then I will shake 
the little red hen into the scalding water 
and you can pop on the cover and then we 


9i 


OLD ENGLISH NURSERY TALES 
will cook her,” said the wicked old fox. 
‘‘Are you all ready?” 

“Yes, I am ready,” answered the mother 
fox. 

So they both stood very close to the kettle 
while the mother lifted the lid. Then the 
son shook the sack and down came the 
big stone ker-splash! into the kettle and the 
boiling water splashed out all over that 
wicked old fox and his mother and scalded 
them both to death. And the little red 
hen lived happily ever after in her snug 
little home. 































































































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